Blog Entries

For families of all ages, a global pandemic can be alarming and confusing. The Coronavirus (COVID-19) has been spreading throughout the United States now, specifically, and has led to school and public closures. The uncertainty of this national and global situation can induce more anxiety in our kids. However, learning how to talk about what is going on and what to do next can be the first step that grown-ups can take to lead to better understanding for families with kids.

The census is a count of every person who lives in the United States and its territories. It happens every 10 years. It's not too late to respond but you need to act quickly! Data collection for self-reporting and nonresponse followup will end September 30th. In early 2020, you were asked to count everyone who lived in your home as of April 1. Responding to the 2020 Census is a chance to shape your future. It even helps secure funding for your local public library! For the first time, you can complete the census online, by phone, or by mail.

The following programs and events have been canceled at Handley Regional Library System.  This page will be updated as programs need to be canceled.  We are sorry for any inconvenience, however the safety and health of our staff, program performers, and patrons are our top priorities.  

This is a list of programs through March 17th.  Updates will be communicated regarding the status of programs and events beyond that date as soon as possible. 

We are excited to announce today the official release of a new streaming service called Hoopla Digital – expanding their online digital portfolio of materials to patrons. Library card holders of all ages can now access a massive digital library of over 300,000 movies, TV shows, eBooks, Audio Books, comics, and music online at www.hoopladigital.com at no cost.

It's shaping up to be a great week at Storytimes at HRLS, and we're counting on a number of fun activities! Head over to any of our three branches and explore some shapes and numbers through stories, rhymes, music, and more. 

Water is life, yet we very much take water for granted in the developed parts of the world. March 22nd is World Water Day, a yearly reminder that this precious resource is vital to survival. Water as a subject is broad and deep. It appears in the title of books on spirituality and religion; flows through science; policy and current events; swirls around fish, oceans, marine mammals, birds and all the wildlife that also depend on water for their existence.

Interview with Becky Ebert from the Stewart Bell Jr. Archives. Learn how to do research in the archives department, the history, genealogy, upcoming programs, and more!

Listen here.

All About KidSTEAM!

KidSTEAM is Handley Library’s monthly program for ages 2-5. STEAM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math. STEAM activities encourage active learning that builds from a child’s natural curiosity. According to the Fairfax County Office for Children, toddlers participating in STEAM projects gain: 

The Friends of the Handley Regional Library System and Magic Lantern Theater are pleased to bring That’s Dancing!

The Friends of the Handley Regional Library System is pleased to bring the next Little Noon Music, Emily Martin and Friends, to Bowman Library. The performance is on March 13^th at 12:15 and is free and open to the public. Based in the Washington DC region, Emily Martin, of The Martin Family Band, carries on the tradition of playing, teaching and performing. Her styles include Old Time Appalachian traditional music and Irish music on the mandolin, mountain dulcimer, tenor banjo and voice.

The next 1455 A Place for Writers Author Talk will be at Handley Library on March 7^th at 3PM. Sponsored by the Friends of Handley Regional Library System, the program will feature authors Thorpe Moeckel and Jessie van Eerden. 1455’s Founding Director Sean Murphy and the authors will discuss the process of writing and the contemporary literary scene, followed by an open Q&A. Copies of their books will be available for sale by the Winchester Book Gallery.

About the Authors:

Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss!

Handley Regional Library System announces today an online public facility assessment for the historic Handley Library in downtown Winchester. The online public survey will help library administration gather responses as they evaluate the space use and configuration of Handley Library as they plan for the future. 

The public can complete the brief survey at www.handleyregional.org/handleylibrarysurvey until March 18, 2020.

The Stewart Bell Jr. Archives and the Museum of the Shenandoah Valley are again partnering to host Shenandoah Valley Heritage Day on Saturday, March 7, from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Museum of the Shenandoah Valley (MSV).

A free showing of The Quiet Man will show at Handley Library on March 7^th at 12:30PM during Old Town Winchester’s Celtic Celebration. Free and open to the public, the movie tells the story of Irish-American boxer John Wayne, recovering from the trauma of having accidentally killed a man in the ring, returning to the Irish village where he was born. The movie is rated G, directed by John Ford, and is sponsored by the Friends of the Handley Regional Library System and Magic Lantern Theater.